


So Close

by Arisprite



Series: Valentine's Day Kiss Meme 2018 [1]
Category: xxxHoLic
Genre: Almost Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Magic, Mysterious magical artifacts that I just made up for kicks, Part-timer Watanuki, Requested by Fieldofclover on tumblr, Valentine's Day Kiss Meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-20 09:56:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13715244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arisprite/pseuds/Arisprite
Summary: Watanuki's job is hard, and Doumeki, gravity, and a mysterious magical music box do not make it any easierOriginal Requestfieldofclover said:Ooh, ooh! For the Valentine Meme, can I please have some fluffy DouWata for number 3?





	So Close

Ooh, ooh! For the Valentine Meme, can I please have some fluffy DouWata for number 3?

“Did she say what was inside?” Doumeki grunted as he lifted the other end of the ginormous trunk he and Watanuki were carrying into the storeroom. Watanuki was, of course, lifting more of the weight, that slacker. 

“She did not,” Watanuki said, hefting the trunk from the ornate gold handle on his side. Doumeki had the other side, and the whole thing was wobbly and creaky, like it was going to fall off at any moment. “Of _course_ she didn’t. She’s Yuuko! Do you think she says anything useful to me?” 

“It’s heavy,” was Doumeki’s helpful contribution. 

“I _know_ that, you idiot!” Watanuki snapped. “I am carrying it too. Now, put your back into it!” 

Of course, Doumeki’s back didn’t make any difference when the handle started to come loose under Watanuki’s grasp. Shouting, Watanuki attempted to stop the trunk from dropping, and instead just shoved it sideways, and then the thing fell on its side and the lid swung open. A small rounded box rolled out and the top snapped open. 

“Oh, great, look at what you’ve…” Watanuki blinked. He’d been yelling at Doumeki. They were both kneeling on either side of the fallen trunk, having tried to catch whatever item was side, but now Watanuki sat frozen, for what had rolled out was the most lovely music box he’d ever seen. The top had popped up and music was tinkling out, a charming little melody that sounded familiar, like he’d heard it in a dream. It made something tremble in his chest. 

“What…?” Doumeki began, and Watanuki could tell that he was also staring at the music box. The music was so beautiful. 

“We dropped it,” Watanuki said, a smile playing at his lips. “We’d better pick it up, or Yuuko will be mad.” 

“Right,” Doumeki said, his voice light, but he made no move to reach for the box, letting the music play. Watanuki made himself comfortable on the edge of the tipped over trunk, leaning on his elbow as warmth spread through him. He turned his eyes from the music box to Doumeki, and it looked like Doumeki felt the same as he did. Watanuki giggled, at them, sitting on the floor staring at a fallen box.

“Why are we still on the ground?” Watanuki asked, and Doumeki turned to him, leaning on the trunk as well. There was a looseness in his lips, like he was thinking about smiling. Watanuki wanted him to smile, he couldn’t think of a time he’d seen that.

Doumeki looked at him, and half shrugged. “I don’t feel like getting up. Do you?” 

“I don’t! Isn’t that weird?” Watanuki asked, tipping forward just a bit. Doumeki swayed closer and then farther away.

“The music is nice,” Doumeki said, his eyes flickering over to the music box, still playing. Watanuki didn’t look over, finding himself distracted by Doumeki’s freckles, faint across his nose. Had he always had those? He poked them, and found Doumeki’s nose underneath it. He moved his fingertip to the edge of Doumeki’s lips, and pulled the corner upwards. There was a glimpse of white, square teeth. Utterly normal. 

“You should smile,” Watanuki said. “You never do. Even when things are funny. Why not?” 

“I smile,” Doumeki said, _lying_. 

“No, you don’t,” Watanuki replied. “Do one right now, smile!” He demonstrated, baring his teeth and smiling wide. “Like this!” 

There was a choked noise, and then Doumeki was smiling. No, he was laughing! His eyes squeezed shut, and he was grinning, swaying forward again. Watanuki continued to smile, and leaned in as well, until their foreheads pressed together. Doumeki was laughing, his breath puffing against Watanuki’s mouth, and Watanuki laughed with him. 

Eventually, their laughter died down, and they were still there, pressed close together and looking into each other’s eyes. Breathing each other’s air. Watanuki looked at Doumeki and it didn’t take a thought to lean forward just a bit more, and brush Doumeki’s lips-

Then, there was a sudden snap. 

Watanuki and Doumeki both started, but were slow to pull away from each other. It was warm where they’d been, and nice, but some golden haze was clearing from Watanuki’s brain, like he was sobering up from drinking alcohol, or so he imagined. His head spun, as he looked at Doumeki before what he’d been about to do filtered through his rational brain. His face went red hot. 

“Wha- wha-GUHH!” Watanuki leapt backwards, scrambling to get to his feet and away from Doumeki. Doumeki who was also blushing and staring, looking jarred. Watanuki looked wildly around for some sort of explanation, before his eyes fell on the music box, and on the creature sitting on top of it, looking pleased with himself. 

“M-Mokona!” Watanuki shouted. “What the hell was that?!” 

Mokona tapped a paw a top the music box, keeping the lid firmly closed. Still, it looked like he’d rather be frolicking in joy for how his ears quivered. 

“You two were about to _kiii-iisss_!!" he crowed, and Watanuki shrieked. 

“WE WERE NOT YOU TAKE THAT BAAACCKK!” he cried, hands on his face in horror. 

Watanuki could hear Yuuko laughing from behind Mokona, and she came in and scooped up both the little black fuzzball and the music box. It made a hopeful tinkle, and she swept over to put it back in the large trunk, and close the lip firmly. Then she sat on it, and looked down at the two shell-shocked boys. 

“Of that was too cute for words, you two!” she cried, holding her clasped hands to her chest. Mokona danced around on her lap. “With all inhibitions gone, laughing on the floor, oh it’s just adorable!~” 

“We are not!” 

Doumeki hadn’t said a word, but now he spoke up. “Why’d it happen?” 

Yuuko cleared her throat, patting the box she sat on. “Well, this little box was given to me at a customer’s request, to keep it safe and unused. The storage came at a price of course, but it also took a lot for that person to give it up. You saw for yourselves how potent the magic is.” 

Watanuki nodded. “It felt like being drunk…” 

Yuuko clapped her hands.” Right! It is, what you could call, a happiness spell. Any who hear the music can’t help but feel joy, happiness, giddiness, or what have you. It eases anxieties, and lowers inhibitions, just as alcohol might for some. So you can see why it must be locked away.” 

“It’s addictive,” Doumeki murmured. 

“Mhm,” Yuuko said. “The person who gave it to me today had lost their entire family to its call. It took great strength of will to seal it away in this box, and strength of character to give it to me. And you two,” her voice grew stern. “Just knocked it over on a whim?” 

“Sorry, Yuuko,” Watanuki said, still feeling kind of fuzzy. His lips were tingling, and he didn’t want to look at Doumeki. Yuuko let out a breath. 

“Alright, let’s put it away,” she said, standing up and gesturing for them to slide it the rest of the way into the storeroom. “And then you can cook sukiyaki tonight!” 

Watanuki frowned. “It’s too hot for hot pot!” he complained, but of course Yuuko didn’t listen. Behind him, Doumeki caught up, and glanced sideways. Then he caught Watanuki’s gaze. And smiled.


End file.
